Many artists have been inspired by the events of Sept. 11, 2001 to create artworks to draw attention to patriotism, grief or healing. Melissa Croghan focuses on all three.

"This series began as a response to catastrophe and loss, but it evolved into focusing on ways we can reinvent ourselves after troubled times with humor and courage," Croghan said in an interview in her studio at Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon. "We as Americans have that adaptability, that flexibility."

"The series is embodied by the figure of the Statue of Liberty. The man who sculpted it modeled her on his own strong mother," Croghan said.

Croghan began creating her "Mother America" series on Sept. 12, 2001, with "Red Day." Unlike the other oils in the series, this one does not depict the statue but rather a landscaped tinged with blood-red.

On Thanksgiving of that year, Croghan moved on with "American Harvest," a depiction of a farm woman with American flags in the background. She modeled the landscape after Tull Meadow Farm in West Simsbury, the town where she lives.

Croghan, who also writes poetry, wrote a poem about Sept. 11 and nailed it to the canvas: "... Fear blew through the hollow cornhusks and the wind was endless. But eventually someone said — Thanksgiving is coming as it always does, and we must get about our business ..."

"People saw that I had done that and they asked me, why did you put a nail into a nice painting?" Croghan said. "But I was inspired how our ancestors in New England put up public notices when things were happening. This was my public notice. We're all grieving, but we need to move forward."

The most recent work is "A Flock of Faiths are We," which emphasizes America's unity despite religious differences. "Optimistically Speaking" and "Slings & Arrows" are two variations on the statue with a bright-orange background, featuring maps of the United States.

In late 2001 and early 2002, Croghan craeted two works, one of which, "Up She Rises," was not finished until 2010. "She wouldn't let me go," she said. "I would do it over and then paint it over again, and write a new message" on Lady Liberty's tablet. She finally settled on "9/11 2001 Courage."

Two More Exhibits

Also opening on Nov. 29 at Charter Oak is "MIXUS," a group of mixed-media artists who put emphasis on collage, who will be showing work in a wide variety of themes. The artists are Judy Cantwell, Elaine Edelberg, Joy Floyd, Betty Friedman, Jill Henderson Pasanen, Vi Joshua, Hannah Libman, Carolyn Q. Tertes, Lonny Wilhelm, Gretchen Wohlgemuth and C. Dianne Zweig.

The third show at the center opening this week is "Under My Skin: The Social Construction of Race and the Tragic Story of Malaga Island," a photo exhibit about the poor, mixed-race community that lived on Malaga Island, Maine. About 45 people in the community were evicted from the island in 1912. About eight others were committed to a home for the feeble-minded, and Malaga ancestors' graves were dug up and reburied off the island. "It was an act motivated by economics, racism, eugenics, and political retribution," according to a website dedicated to the incident.

The exhibit is being held to mark the 100th anniversary of the expulsions. In conjunction, the center will present a benefit concert with Hartford native and Malaga Island descendent Charmagne Tripp, a jazz vocalist. Tripp's great-grandmother and her family were among those evicted by the state. The concert is on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. at the center.